Arm-rest



(No Model.)

J. W. MORRISON. V ARM REST. No. 544,821.

Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB WORLEY MORRISON, OF ADAIRVILLE,-KENTUCKY.

ARM-REST.

QPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,821, dated August20, 1895.

Application filed April 20, 1895. Serial No. 546,516. No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB WORLEY MOR- RISON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Adairville, in the county of Logan and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Arm'Rest, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of arm-rests which embody intheir construction upper and lower boards or plates, interposed supportshaving pivotal or hinged con nections at their ends with the respectiveboards or plates, and a brace whereby the upper plate or board is heldat the required elevation. In this class of devices as heretoforeconstructed the hinged or pivotal supports coming between the upper andlower boards prevent thelatter'folding into a compact form, therebyrestricting the use thereof to comparatively thick books or high places.Moreover, the boards or plates, being of like width, preclude a closejoint being obtained between the top board and the leaf or page to bewritten upon.

The object of the present invention is to provide a structure which willadmit of the top or purchase board folding close upon the base or lowerboard, and which will enable the edge of the purchase-board to comeclose against and touch the end of the leaf or page to be written upon,thereby providing an unbroken surface between the said leaf or page andthe arm -rest, which is of vital consequence to a penman.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a structure which willbe light, efficient,

and capable of withstanding a superimposed pressure without giving way,and which will be limited in its vertical adjustment, all of which willbe more fully set forth hereinafter, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-' Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved arm-rest Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view showing thedevice folded. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the purchase-plateelevated to its highest position. The numeral 1 represents the base,which may have any required width and length according to the size ofthe required device, and

is preferably ashort length of comparatively thin wood of oblong form.The purchaseplate 2 is of similar construction to the base 1, and isconnected therewith by four links 3, which have pivotal connection attheir ends with the edges of the base and the purchaseplate 2, so thatinthe folding of the plate 2 upon the base 1 the links 3 will notinterfere with said parts coming closely together and the purchase-plate2 resting directly upon the base 1. The purchase-plate 2 has its inneredge projected, as shown at 4, to extend over the binding of a book andcome close against the end of theleaf or page tobe written upon, therebyproviding an unbroken surface between the said page and purchase-platefor the fingers to glide upon in free-hand writing. The end portions ofthe extended part 4 are out away, as shown at 5, to provide clearancefor the upper ends of the inner links 3, and in order to admit of theclose folding of the purchase-plate upon the base a longitudinal groove6 is formed in the inner side of the plate 2 on a line connecting theinner walls of the cut-away'parts 5, and this groove 6 decreases indepth from the outer to the in nor end to receive the edge portion ofthe link 3, which enters therein when the arm-rest is folded. Theleft-hand end of the purchase-plate is notched in its under side at 7 toreceive and provide a finger-catch whereby the plate 2 can be elevatedwhen it is required to raise the same from a folded position.

A rack-bar 8 is secured to the outer edge of the base 1, and its rearend is brought in close link to engage with a straight portion 9 thereofand limit the vertical movement of the plate 2 and prevent the linksfrom passing beyond the perpendicular. A brace 10 is pivoted at itsupper end to the edge of the purchase-plate 2, and has its lower edgecurved and provided with a series of teeth 11, which are adapted toengage with the teeth of the rack-bar 8 and support the purchase-plate 2in the adjusted position. By having the teeth 11 formed'on a curved linethree or more can engage with a corresponding number of teeth of therackbar, thereby preventing the cutting out and giving way of the teeth,which would occur if only one tooth of the brace 10 engaged a singletooth of the rack-bar 8. It must be readvisability of having as broadand extended engagingrsurfaces between the parts 8 and 10 as possible tothe life and usefulness of the device. In order to facilitate theoperation of the brace 10, the latter is provided at its lower end witha lateral extension 12 to be grasped when moving the brace along therack-bar 8.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device is both simple andcompact and can be economically constructed, and that the parts aredisposed with the object of obtaining the best possible results.

The material from which the device is constructed is not essential tothe spirit of the invention, and it will be understood that in providingthe invention to meet the various needs, changes in the form,proportion, and

'the minor details of construction may be re sorted to without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of thisinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An armrest comprising a base and a purchase plate of similar construction, thepurchase plate having its inner edge portion extended to project overthe binding of a book and touch the end of the-page to be written upon,whereby an unbroken surface is obtained between the said page and thepurchase plate, the said extended edge portion having its ends cutawayand the purchase plate having a longitudinal groove on its under sidecorresponding in position with aline joining the said cutaway portionson their inner walls, links having pivotal connection at their ends withthe edges of the base and purchase plate, one of the links adapted tohave its edge portion enter the said longitudinal groove, and means forsupporting the pur chase plate in the elevated position, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The herein-specified arm rest, comprising a base, asimilarly-constructed purchase plate having its inner edge portionextended to come close against the end of the sheet to be writtenupon,and having its end portions cut away, said purchase plate having alongitudinal groove on its under side formed on a line correspondingwith the prolongation of the inner walls of the said cut-away endportions of the extended part of the purchase plate, links havingpivotal connection at their endswi-th the edges of the base and thepurchase plate, one of the links adapted to have an edge portion enterthe said longitudinal groove, a rack bar fastened to the edge of thebase and having one end in proximate relation to a link to engagetherewith and lily the vertical movement of the purchase plate andprevent the links from passing beyond the perpendicular, and a bracepivoted at its upper end to the edge of the purchase plate and havingits lower end formed with a series of teeth extending on a curved line,whereby a number of the said teeth will engage with a correspondingnumber of teeth on the rack bar at all positions of the brace to providea firm support for the purchase plate, and the latter having a notch atone end to form a finger catch, substantially as described for thepurpose specified. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB WORLEY MORRISON. \Vitnesses:

O. P. N EAL, T. R. NEAL.

